Knitting method and machine



July 2, 1935.

s. R. sHELMlRE 2,006,414

KNITTING METHOD AND MACHINE Filed May 5, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l July 2, 1935. s, R sHELMlRE 2,006,414

KNITTING METHOD AND MACHINE Filed May 3. 1932 5 Sheets-.Sheet 2 l h. l

3/2 0 i /320 WH 322 o j/Z F/6-4- 374C WM July 2, 1935. s, R, SHELMIRE 2,006,414

KNITTING METHOD AND MACHINE Filed May 5, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented July 2, 1935 UNITED STATES KNITTING METHOD AND MACHINE Stanley R. Shelmire, Wilmington, D el., assignor to Standard-Trumpl Bros. Machine Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application May s, 1932, serial No. 608,889

6 Claims.

and widened portions of the toe and a method and machine for making the same.

Heretofore it has been found desirable for various reasons to produce stockings of a type said to have a splitfoot in which the instep being visible when low shoes are worn is composed of suitable yarn or -yarns generally similar to those used for the leg portion of a stocking while the sole is composed of different yarn, in general', of heavier or stronger character to better withstand wear. Such stockings generally also involve a split fabric above the heel in which the rear of the leg above the heel is composed of wear resisting yarn where a low shoe would tend to destroy the fabric, this arrangement involving the socalled high splice.

In machines heretofore used to produce such stockings, two feeds are used, generally designated the sole and instep feeds, in view of their particular'functions, each of the feeds being associated withthe usual knitting cams, etc. In general, in such machines the upper leg is knit from a yarn at the main feed but the lower leg at the high splice and the instep is knit from a similar yarn at the instep feed. Desirably, of course, the same appearance should be maintained continuously from the leg into the instep, but since two yarn supplies are necessarily used and color, weight and texture are rarely duplicated to such degree that differences escape notice, there is almost always a noticeable line of demarcation at the place where change from one yarn to the other occurs. Besides this, the change is furthermade noticeable by any slight variations in sizes of loops occurring because of varying tensions, different adjustments of cams, etc. Obviously this change Vof feeds also makes it difficult, if not impossible, to continue a design from the leg into the instep.

In an application led by Wilbur L. Houseman on January 29, 1931, Serial No. 511,949, there is disclosed a machine capable of producing a fabric, or stocking, having portions formed by both ro- .tary and reciprocatory knitting in which the same yarn or yarns are continued from one portion into the other without a break; or, specifically, in which a design is so continued without interruption from the leg into the instep.

' One object of the present invention is to provide a machine in which the toe of a splitfoot stocking of the type disclosed in said Houseman (Cl. Sii-43) application is provided with a gusset between the narrowed and widened portions thereof to secure a better fit of the toe in a manner already known. Heretofore, however, such gussets have not been provided in splitfoot stockings of any type and D a broader object of the invention may therefore be stated to be the provision of a stocking and' method and machine for producing the same in -which a toe gusset is provided irrespective-of the specific formation of the splitfoot and other parts Il of the stocking. It is another broad object of the invention to provide a stocking and method and machine for producing the same in which a toe having a gusset of limited extent is formed on the same short butt needles of a circular knitting mal5 chine which form the bottom of the foot. Other objects of the invention relating particularly to advantageous details of construction and operation will be apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying 20 drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of that portion of a circular knitting machine of well known type which is particularly modified in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is an inside development of the needl cams and other instrumentalities;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a stocking embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 4 is an elevation partly in section showing 30 particularly the controls for various parts of the mechanism certain of the parts including the knitting cams being omitted for clearness;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of the active parts of the various cams and other instrumen- .35 talities showing their cooperation with needles during one of the reciprocatory periods, namely, during the beginning of the formation of a gusset the View being radially distorted as to scale; and

Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating the various 40 events'in a cycle of operation.

The'illustrated machine is of the rotary needle, stationary cam type having independently mov-able latch needles, the machine in its general arrangement being similar to that illustrated in 4 5 the Wilbur L. Houseman application referred to above. Inasmuch as the machine yis basically the same as that of this prior application various elements in the present disclosure are designated with the same reference characters as the corresponding elements .in the prior aplication. In the present showing the mac ine is illustrated without the pattern mechan sm so that it is designed to 'knit a stocking having a plain leg and instep. The pattern mecham is,

however, merely omitted for the sake of clarity since, as will be obvious hereafter, the pattern mechanism disclosed in the Wilbur L. Houseman application is applicable bodily to the present machine without any substantial modification. That is, it will be understood that the present machine in a more elaborate embodiment is adapted to produce designs by plating and reverse plating throughout the leg and instep while at the same time providing a toe gusset.

The needle cylinder 2 is carried by the usual ring gear adapted to be rotated and oscillated through the usual clutch connections. As in the case of the machine of the Wilbur L. Houseman application the present machine differs from the ordinary type in that instead of being axially fixed the ring gear and needle cylinder are adapted to be moved axially, the mechanism for accomplishing this being the same as that illustrated in the Wilbur L. Houseman application referred to. The usual main cam disc 30 is stepped about intermittently during the operation of the machine and carries cams which control the various events. inasmuch as certain additional cams are required in the present machine the cam disc is provided with a cylindrical extension 3| on which various cams are mounted.

A sinker dial 32 mounts the sinkers 34 which receive radial movements under the action of the usual sinker cams 36 so that they properly cooperate with the needles generally designated at 38 in the formation of stitches. As is usual, the sinker cams are mounted so as to have slight reciprocatory movements during reciprocation of the needle cylinder so that the sinkers cooperate properly with the needles when moving in either direction.

If pattern mechanism is used a slotted jack dial rotates with the needle cylinder and siidably supports jacks arranged to engage and actuate pressers located in the needle slots to deflect the hook ends of the needles. This arrangement, which may be of the type illustrated in Harold E. Houseman Patent 1,779,237, dated Oct. 21, 1930, is not illustrated in the present application since the designing means as a whole are omitted.

The needles heretofore generally designated as 38 are of four types as illustrated in Fig. 5, namely, long butt needles 46, suture needles 48a and 48h having intermediate length butts, gusset needles 49, which form a part of the short butt needle semi-circle but are provided with butts of length intermediate those of the short butt needles and the suture needles, and short needles 50. There are two suture needles 48a and 4817 located substantially diametrically opposite each other and forming the end needles of the short butt series on which the high splice, heel, sole and toe are knit. The long butt needles lie on one side of the diameter defined by the suture needles and are adapted to form the instep of a stocking.

In the present machine there are two feed and stitch forming points designated generally by the numerals 52 and 53 in the developed interior view of cams Fig. 2. These points will be designated as the instep and sole feedsrespectively. As shown in Fig. 1 these feeds are angularly spaced 112.5 apart, the direction of rotation of the needle cylinder during rotary knitting being counterclockwise as viewed in plan.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2 the cams at the instep feed comprise the upper center cam 54, the lower center cam 56, end cams 58 and 60. stitch cams 62 and 64 and deflector cams 66 and 66. Besides these cams there are provided the gusset needle lowering cam 302 and the gusset needle raising cam 306. Similarly the cams at the sole feed comprise the upper center cam the lower center cam 12, end cams 14 and 16, stitch cams 18 and 80, guard cam 8|, gusset needle lowering cam 300 and gusset needle raising cam 304. Raising pickers 82 and 84 of the usual type are associated with the sole feed only. A lowering picker 88 of the usual form is provided, being located diametrically opposite the sole feed. A switch cam 86 mounted on a pivoted shaft and urged by a spring 81 to the position illustrated in Fig. 2 is designed to engage only the long butt needles to elevate them when they move in one direction and yield upwardly against the action of spring 81, when they move in the opposite direction to allow them to pass. A main switch cam 90 the operation of which will be later pointed out is also provided, being positioned as illustrated in Figs. l and 2.

Cams 62 and 66 are carried by a radially reciprocable slide 92 and cams 64 and 68 are carried by a similar slide 94. Ihese slides are provided respectively with adjustable screws 86 and 98 adapted to be engaged under the tensions of suitable springs with upwardly projecting ears formed on a yoke |04 pivoted to the frame and oscillatable under the action of a plunger |06 when lifted by suitable cams on the main cam disc 30 to simultaneously retract the two slides. The two slides are made separate so that they may move their respective cams accurately radially.

The main switchcam 90 is carried by a shaft |36 to which is affixed a pin |38 projecting into an oblique slot |40 in the fixed supporting sleeve. An arm |42 carried by the shaft |36 is urged downwardly by a spring |43 and is arranged to be engaged by a cam element |44 carried by a rocker |46 pivoted at |48 to the frame and having a downward extension |50 carrying a cam follower |52 engageable by cams |54 on the main cam disc as shown in Fig. 4. A spring |56 normally urges the follower in a direction to contact with the cams. The pin and slot connection causes the switch cam to ride away from the cylinder when lowered so that only long butt needles are engaged. On the other hand, when it is in raised position it engages all of the butts regardless of length to lower the needles.

A second cam element |58 is adapted to rock the lever |60 which is operative when so acted upon to lower the picker 88 to an inoperative position between the levers occupied by the butts of active and inactive needles as they reach its location.

`Cam 18 is carried by a radially movable slide |62 carrying an adjustable follower screw |64 urged by a suitable spring into contact with the lever |68 arranged to be rocked to move the slide outwardly by a plunger |10 acted upon by a cam |1| on the main cam disc. Similarly, cam 80 is carried by a slide |12 carrying an adjustable follower screw |14 urged by a suitable spring into contact with a lever |18 arranged to be rocked to move the slide outwardly by a plunger |80 acted upon by a cam |8| on the main cam disc. It is accordingly to be noted that the cams 13 and 80 are independently movable as contrasted with the corresponding cams at the instep feed.

At the instep feed are several yarn feeding fingers |82, in the present instance 5, one of which may carry the main or body yarn, another the yarn used to form the extended top and the others yarns which may be used for striping and plating. In the case of plating one or more fingers may carry a plurality of yarns.. Similarly at the other feed there may` be a plurality of fingers |34. For example, one of them may carry the yarn forming the high splice above the heel, another the heel and toe yarn and a third the sole yarn. Any of these fingers |34 may carry a plurality of yarns for the production of plating, a plated high splice being particularly frequently desirable. A fancy high splice may be formed by feeding both body and plating yarns through the first of the fingers. The means for changing yarns at the feeds is preferably of the type illustrated in the patent to Harold E. Houseman, 1,161,677, dated November 23, 1915. The means for producing striping at the instep feed may be similar to that shown in the patent to Harold E. Houseman No. 1,769,580 dated July l, 1930.4

In addition to the elements just described which have their counterparts in the Wilbur L. Houseman application referred to above there are provided special elements for producing the toe gusset. These elements comprise the radially slidable cams 300, 302, 304 and 306 located as illustrated in Figs. l and 2 and normally urged outwardly by suitable springs. 0n the cylindrical extension 3| of the main cam disc 30 are cams 303, 3|0, 3|2 and 3|4 positioned `as illustrated in Fig. 4 and arranged to act respectively on follower levers 3|6, 3|3, 320 and 322 which are urged into position to engage the cams by individual springs. 'I'he follower levers are mounted on nested tubular shafts as illustrated in Fig. 4, the shafts being journalled on each other and the inner one which is solid and journalled -in a suitable supporting bracket. The shafts which carry the levers 3|6, 3|3, 320 and 322 carry respectively at their upper ends the arms 324, 326, 328 and 330. 'I'he arms 324 and 323 extend radially to engage the outer ends of the cams 300 and 304 respectively to urge them inwardly at the proper times to engage the butts of the gusset needles. 'I'he arms 326 and 330 are connected by links 332 and 334 respectively to levers 336 and 338 which respectively engage the outer ends of the cams 302 and 306 to move the same inwardly against the tension of their springs to engage the butts of gusset needles.

'I'he various elements of the machine and their relative relationships having been described, there will now be taken up the operation of the machine inthe production of a stocking.

A stocking typical of those which the machine is adapted to produce is illustrated in Fig. 3. This stocking comprises a ribbed top a. produced as usual on a rib machine and transferred to the needles of a plain fabric machine, an extended top b, which may be omitted, lconsisting of several circularly knit courses, the leg c circularly knitted and in the present instance composed of plain fabric, the yarn forming the same extending continuously into the instep and the upper part of the foot indicated at e and h respectively. 'I'he high splice d, the heel f, the split sole g, the advanced toe i, which may be omitted if desired, consisting ofl several circularly knit courses, and the toe finished by the loopers rounds p. The toe in the present instance consists of the narrowed portion m, a. gusset n and widened upper portion o. The composition of these parts of the stocking and their production will be clear after the disclosure of the operation. The parts knitted at the sole feed, particularly the high In Fig. 6 there are graphically illustrated the' events occurring in the formation of a complet-e stocking, the operative or inoperative conditions of the various elements being plotted against the sixteen periods (some of which are idle) defined by the 16 steps of the main cam disc 30. The various periods are indicated by the operations effected therein. The periods of rotation and reciprocation are designated at the bottom of the figure.

When the machine is in the stationary condition the needles are leveled to receive the ribbed top. At this time, as indicated in the figure, fingers |32 and |34 are raised out of action, cams 62, 64, 66 and 68 and cams I8 and 30 are fully retracted to disengage all of the needle butts, switch cam 90 is raised and in inner position and there is no cam |54 acting on follower |52 and accordingly the switch cam occupies the position just noted and the lowering picker 38 occupies its inoperative position intermediate the levels assumed bythe butts of raised and lowered needles during operation. The pickers 32 and 84 ride the butts. Cams 300, 302, 304 and 306 are retracted.

Following the transfer of a ribbed top a to the needles the machine is started to knit a few rounds of yarn similar to that in the ribbed top to form the portion b known as the extended top. Upon starting the machine the cam disc 30 is advanced one step. ,Cams 62, 64, 66and 68 are allowed to move inwardly in the usual fashion, first, dropping against the short butts and then subsequently moving on into the cylinder as the long butt needles pass through. The yarn finger |82 which carries .the extended top yarn drops in advance of the first needle to knit, which will be the advancing medium butt suture needle 43a. The switch cam 90 is still raised so as to be inactive. The cam 36 swings up during each revolution to allow long butt needles to pass, motion of the needles during revolution being from right to left as viewed in Fig. 2.

At each of the feed points the sinkers are retracted and then advanced in a wave in the conventional manner even though the needle cams may not be in operation. Accordingly, because of fabric tension, fabricloops will sometimes tend to climb up the needles at the sole feed, where at this time no knitting is taking place, in the space where the sinkers are retracted. If this were permitted when the sinkers moved in, these loops would be above the nebs of sinkers and out of control and would not'be moved below the latches at the instep feed, thereby failing to cast of.

In order to avoid this climbing of the loops at the idle sole feed the stitch cam 80 is permitted to move 'in against the needle cylinder. This puts an upward wave in the needles before the sinkers are retracted. Accordingly, the loops occupy a lower position on the needles and when Except for the parts mentioned the positions e 'already in active position.

cam disc takes place the extended top yarn finger is withdrawn and another finger or plurality of fingers carrying yarns suitable for the leg are dropped into action. Of `course, if striping is to take place the fingers originally dropped into action may be replaced by others during the formation of the leg in the usual manner, for example, Vby the mechanism illustrated in the patent to Harold E. Houseman, No. 1,769,580.

During this period the fingers |84 remain inactive and the stitch cams at both feeds-and switch cam 88 retain their previous positions. Accordingly stitches are formed solely at the instep feed.

In the case of a machine designed to produce patterns either by plating and rev rse plating or by plating and floating and the li the pattern mechanism would be brought into action during the formation of the leg, for example, as illustrated in the WilburL. Houseman application alrerady referred to.

In a splitfoot stocking it is customary to begin splitwork well above the heel so that a stronger wear resisting fabric may be made at the back above the heel. Splitwork commences with another step of the main cam disc, the rotation being changed to reciprocation, the range of which is in the present machine about 365.

If a pattern is being produced in the front portion of the stocking at e the patterning will continue as indicated in the W. L. Houseinan application. At any rate the same finger or fingers |82 remain active since the same yarn or yarns are to be knit into the instep as are knit into the leg. The finger |84 which carries the high splice yarn or yarns is lowered into action. Cams 62, 64, 66 and 68 are now withdrawn partway so as to clear the short butt needles but still engage the long and medium butt needles. Cam 18 moves into action joining cam 80 which is An intermediate length step of a cam |54 engages follower |52 so that the switch cam 90 is lowered and smultaneously moved outwardly so that it will engage and raise long butt needles but miss short butt and gusset needles and the suture needles. The lowering picker 88, however, retains its inactive position since the cam |58 is so designed as not to release lever |60 when the lever |46 is rocked only partway by the intermediate step of a cam |54. Because of recprocatory knitting the usual take-up sweeps through which the yarns at both feeds pass are rendered active.

The extreme position of the needle cylinder locates the needles in positions approximately 180 removed from those illustrated in Fig. 5. That is, the suture needles 48a and 48b are near the two switch cams, the long butt needles are located adjacent the sole feed 53, and the short butt needles adjacent the instep feed 52.

Assuming first a counterclockwise reciprocation of the needle cylinder the intermediate butt suture needle 48a which leads the long butt needles rides up cam 64 and is depressed by center cam 54 and stitch cam 6.?. taking a yarn or yarns at the instep feed. It then rides up cam 58, passes switch cam 90 by which it is not engaged and follows the short butt needles up over cam and below cams 18 and 18 taking the high splice yarn at the sole feed and thereby forming a suture between the yarns at the two feeds. The long butt needles follow the suture needle through the cam at the instep feed and also take yarn there. However, the long butts do engage the switch cam andare raised thereby so that they ride above the cams at the sole feed 53.

The intermediate butt suture needle 48h which follows lthe Along butt needles and precedes the short butt needles starts from a position adjacent switch cam 80 and rides up the end of cam 88 until it engages the picker 84 by which it is raised whereupon it follows the long butt needles through the cams |52 taking the main' yarn or yarns there and finally reaching a position adjacent switch cam 88 without being raised thereby. The short butt needles following this intermediate butt suture needle ride over cam 88, beneath the picker 84, are moved downwardly by cams I8 and 18 to take the high splice yarn, pass switch cam 86 without engagement, and likewise pass the partially retracted cams 64 .and 62 Without engagement. This partial retraction avoids the necessity of raising the short butt needles thereabove.

In a. clockwise reciprocation, a reverse series of events occur. In this case the switch cam 86 takes the place of switch cam 90 and likewise picker 82 lifts the medium butt suture needle 48h leading the short butt needles.

From the above it will be seen that the yarn or yarns in the instep are knitted by the long butt needles and both of the medium butt suture needles on each reciprocation. The high splice yarn at the sole Vfeed is knitted by the shortI butt needles, this term being used to include the gusset needles, and that mediumbutt suture needle 48a or 48h which leads the long butt needles in that stroke. It is to be observed that this alternate suture operation of the suture needles forms a substantial but non-bulky seam by the avoidance of excessive yarns in the loops thereof.

If a pattern is being formed, then during the above the proper selective action proceeds to produce the pattern. The patterning is designed to occur at the instep feed where there is no break at the change from rotation to reciprocation.

When the knitting of the heel is to begin, the main .cam disc is again given intermittent movement and the parts operate to produce the heel in substantially the conventional manner, the heel being produced on the short butt needles including the gusset needles. Cams 62, 64, 66 andv 68 are fully withdrawn and the finger or fingers |824 previously active are raised, this raising being at a point which will cause the yarn or yarns to knit last on the medium butt needle 48a which is trailing behind the long butt needles when the cylinder is traveling in a clockwise direction. These yarns may be clamped and cut but are preferably allowed to float from the cylinder to the raised yarn finger. since the heel is to be knit at the sole feed. An intermediate portion of cam |54 still engages the follower |52 so that the lowering picker remains inactive.

The change to the heel yarn having been made at the sole feed the narrowing proceeds in the usual manner, the raising pickers 82 and 84 being operative upon the suture needles and the short butt needles, including the gusset needles, while the long butt needles are raised out of action. The arrangement of the short butt series is as indicated in Fig. 5. The end needles are the suture needles. Adjacent these are series of extra short butt needles, then series of gusset needles having somewhat longer butts and between these a central series of needles having eXtra short butts. In the formation of the heel there is no distinction made between the short butt needles Cams 18' and 8|) remain in actionof, the two kinds. When narrowing has been completed the cam disc is again stepped around. 'I'he only effect of this is to bring a high portion of cam |54 into engagement with follower |52 to rock lever |48 further outwardly and permit the lowering picker 88 to rise and become operative in the usual manner to lower the needles two at a' time while the pickers 82 and 84 continue to raise them one at a time.

When the heel is completed the disc 30 again advances, restoring all of the elements to the positions occupied during the knitting of the high splice, the main yarn or yarns being reintroduced so that the suture needle which last knit, again begins knitting while the cylinder travels in a counterclockwise direction. A suitable sole yarn replaces the heel yarn. If patterning is being done the movements of the pattern chain continue from its stationary position. Since the operation is the same as that above described during the operation of the high splice it need not be again repeated. l

When the sole is completed the cam disc again advances a step to raise all the ngers |82 out of action, so that withdrawal takes place on the medium butt suture needle 48h following the long butt needles while the cylinder is traveling in a clockwise direction, while the finger |84 which carries the heel yarn is lowered into action to replace the sole yarn finger. Cams 82, 84, 86 and 68 are withdrawn. Switch cam 90 is raised. The needle cylinder rotates. Accordingly all of the needles knit at the sole feed to form the advanced toe i.

After the formation of the several courses forming the advanced toe, the disc 30 again moves bringing the parts into position to perform the narrowing and then the widening for the toe, the motion of the needle cylinder again becoming reciprocatory. Narrowing takes. place in precisely the same fashion as occurred in the formation of the heel. In this case the pickers 82 and 84 act successively to raise out of action first the suture needles then the end shortest butt series and nally the gusset needles until the only needles remaining in action are those of the central extra short butt series. These needles accordingly form the tip of the toe.

Following the narrowing, the disc 30 and the attached cylinder 3| receive a further step motion. In this motion cams 308 and 3|0 are brought successively into contact with levers 3|6 and 3|8 causing movements of cams 300 and 802 inwardly towards the needle cylinder to engage gusset needles. When the step of the cam disc is finished, however, the levers 3|6 and 3|8 will have moved off their cams 308 and 3|0 so that the cams 300 and 302 are again withdrawn as indicated in Fig. 6. The operation occurring here will be best understood from a consideration of Figs. 2 and 5 in which the needles are illustrated in positions assumed at this time. In Fig. 5 the butt lengths are exaggeratedly shown. In Fig. 2 the path of the long butt needles is illustrated by the long dashes, the paths of the shortest butt needles by the dots and the paths of the gusset needles by the short dashes. The needle positions correspond in these two figures, the needle cylinder being illustrated in a position following about one-half the first counterclockwise reciprocation taking place during the movement of the cam disc 30. In this reciprocation the leading shortest butt needles and the gusset needles, except for the last one, are all raised out of action. During the initial part of this reciprocation the cam 300 remains withdrawn and accordingly these needles pass above the cams 8| and 18 as indicated in Fig. 2. The last ofthe gusset needles and the center section of shortest butt needles will be traveling at the low stitch level and will rise over cam 80. The last gusset needle, however, will be engaged by the picker 84 and raised so as to follow the other gusset needles over cam 1l. The shortest butt needles will travel below cam 10 taking the yarn at 53 and thence drawing stitchesas they pass below cam 18. After the first series of gusset needles have passed cam 808 this cam receives its inward movement which isA suilicient to cause it to engage the butts of the gusset needles but miss the butts of the shortest butt needles. Since cam 300 moves in before the second series of gusset needles reach it, it will cause the same to be deflected downwardly so as to pass beneath cam 8| as indicated in Figs. 2 and 5. The gusset needles will therefore follow the center series of shortest butt needles and take yarn at the sole feed. 'I'he series .of shortest butt needles following the second series vof gusset needles will pass the cam 300 at the inactive level. The cam 300 is withdrawn during this passage so as not to engage either the following suture needle or any of the long butt needles. It is for this reason that the cam 308 is so arranged that the cam 300 will move inwardly and outwardly during one movement of the cam disc. By reason of the arrangement illustrated, when the cam 808 moves into action, the cam 302 is still opposite long butt needles so that it cannot be moved into action at this time to deflect the advancing series of gusset needles. It is for this reason that the cam 3|0 is located so that the inward movement of cam 302 takes place following that of cam 300. Cam 302, like cam 300, moves inwardly whilethe shortest butt needles are passing it and then deects downwardly the gusset needles to a level such that they will be engaged by cam 54 and lowered to engage the knittingcains 'l0 and 80 during a subsequent clockwise reciprocation. Like cam 300, the cam 302 is withdrawn immediately after it finishes action upon the gusset needles so that it will not engage any longer butt or suture needles. By reason of the above operations there are now in knitting position not only the series of shortest butt needles but also of gusset needles. During reciprocation, knitting takes place on these needles to form the gusset. During such knitting, however, the pickers 82 and 84 remain active so that narrowing continues to take place causing the tapers at the rearward ends of the gussetwhich extends about the toe of the stocking and terminates rearwardly at points depending upon the number of needles in the center section of shortest butt needles and the two gusset series. The number of needles used in the respective series will depend upon the size of the gusset desired. The gusset may also consist of anysuitable number of courses depending upon the shaping which it is desired to secure. A suitable number of courses in the gusset, for example, may be from 8 to 16.

After the gusset is completed another movement is imparted to the cam disc. This causes a high cam |54 to act upon the follower |52 so that the picker 88 is raised to become active. At the same time cams 304 and 306 are moved inwardly during a portion of a counterclockwise reciprocation so as to engagev all of the gusset needles which rem in active to raise the same to inactive position s a unit again, causing the knitting to take place on only the center section of shortest 320'and 322 by the cams.

given another idle movement during the Widening. The widening takes place in the usual fashion such as'that occurring in the formation ofthe heel. As a result the toe assumes the formation illustrated in Fig. 3, the narrowed portion being indicateq//at m, the gusset at n, and the widened portion'a/t o.

Following the completion of the widening operation rotary knitting is resumed, the parts being located in the former positions by movement of/the cam disc as in the formation of the ad- `vanced toe. The several courses thus formed constitute the loopers rounds. It may be noted in this connection that the same yarn is generally used for the heel, advanced toe, toe and loopers rounds.

After the loopers rounds are completed the yarn is withdrawn so that the loops are pressed oif the needles. The cams are then withdrawn to effect leveling and the machine stops. The cycle is thus completed and a new ribbed top may be transferred to the machine.

During the above cycle of operations various different yarns have been inserted at both feeds. At the instep feed, for example, there is first inserted the extended top yarn which is of comparatively heavy weight and then the main yarn or yarns of comparatively light weight. Similar changes take place at the sole feed, the high splice and sole yarns being generally lighter than the yarn or yarns constituting the heel, toe, etc. Accordingly, in order to produce proper results, it is necessary lto utilize various cam adjustments such as are described in the Wilbur L. Houseman application referred to above. It is also necessary to secure proper stitch balancing to adjust for wear.

It will be clear that numerous changes may be made in details of construction and also by the replacement of certain mechanism by non-equivalent but analogous mechanism without departing from the spirit of the invention. In the following claims for simplicity of expression the term instep` is used to apply tothe entire front and top split portion of a stocking; that is, it refers broadly to such portions of a stocking as are designated at either e or h or both in Fig. 3. Also, where reference is made to a common or "same yarn it will be understood that portions of yarn from the same source are indicated.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A knittingmachine including a circular series of needles, said needles including a group of instep needles and a group of sole needles including gusset needles, elements cooperating with the needles in the formation of stitches, means for presenting yarns to the needles at spaced feeds, cams associated with the feeds for actuating the needles and elements during relative rotary or reciprocatory movements, means for effecting knitting at both feeds during certain reciprocatory movements to produce a split foot,

The cam disc may be means for raising the instep needles to take them ing, restoring removed gusset needles into action as a unit for the formation of a gusset, removing gusset needles from action as 'a unit, and then successively restoring sole needles, including gusset needles, into action for widening.

2. A knitting machine including a circular series of needles, said needles including a group of instep needles, and a group of sole needles, the instep needles having long butts, and the sole needles including two's'ets of gusset needles terminating short of the ends of the series of sole needles and provided with butts of intermediate length other sole needles having short butts, elements cooperating with the needles in the formation of stitches, means for presenting yarn to the needles, cams for actuating the needles and elements during relative rotary or reciprocatory movements, and means operable during the reciprocatory knitting of a toe for successively removing lsole needles including gusset needles, from action for narrowing, restoring removed gusset needles into action as a unit for the formation of a gusset, removing gusset needles from action as a unit, and then successively restoring sole needles, including gusset needles, into action for widening, the last named means including cams selectively operable upon the butts of the gusset needles to effect their. vunitary movements, said last cams being controlled by pattern mechanism through the intermediary of a plurality of nested shafts.

3. A knitting machine including a circular series of needles, said needles including a group of instep needles, and a group of sole needles, the instep needles having long butts, and the sole needles including two sets of gusset needles terminating short of the ends of the series of sole needles and provided with butts of intermediate length, other sole needles having short butts, elements cooperating with the needles in the formation of stitches, means for presenting yarns to the needles at spaced feeds, cams associated with the feeds for actuating the needles and elements during relative rotary or reciprocatory movements, means for effecting knitting at both feeds during reciprocatory -movements to produce a splitfoot, and means operable during the reciprocatory knitting of a toe while the instep needles are raised out of action for successively removing sole needles, including gusset needles, from action for narrowing, restoring removed gusset needles into action as a unit for the formation of a gusset, removing gusset needles from action as a unit, and then successively restoring sole needles, including gusset needles, into action for widening, the last named means including cams selectively operable upon the butts of the gusset needles to effect their unitary movements.

4. A knitting machine including a circular series of needles, said needles including a group of instep needles and a group of sole needles including gusset needles, elements cooperating with the needles in the formation of stitches, means forpresenting yarns to the needles at spaced feeds, cams associated with the feeds for actuating the needles and elements during relative rotary or reciprocatory movements, means for effecting knitting at both feeds during certain reciprocatory movements to produce a split foot by selective action of the groups of needles upon the yarns at the respective feeds, and means operable during reciprocatory knitting of a toe, while relative reciprocation between the needles and needle cams takes place as in the formation of a split foot, to render inactive that group of needles not including gusset needles and for successively removing sole needles, including gusset needles, from action for narrowing, restoring removed gusset needles into action as a unit for the formation of a gusset, removing gusset needles from action as a unit, and then successively restoring sole needles, including gusset needles, into action for Widening.

5. A knitting machine including a circular series of needles, said needles including a group of instep needles and a group of sole needles, the instep needles having long butts, and the sole needles including two sets of gusset needles terminating short of the ends of the series of sole needles and provided with butts of intermediate length, other sole needles having short butts, elements cooperating with the needles in the formation of stitches, means for presenting yarns to the needles at spaced feeds, cams associated with the feeds for actuating the needles and elements during relative rotary or reciprocatory movements, means for effecting knitting at both feeds during lcertain reciprocatory movements to produce a split foot by selective action of the groups of needles upon the yarns at the respective feeds, means for raising the long butt needles above the needle actuating cams into inactive position relative to both feeds during the reciprocatory knitting of a toe, and means operable during the reoiprocatory knitting of a toe for successively removingsole needles, including gusset needles, from action for narrowing, restoring removed gusset needles into action as a unit for the formation of a gusset, removing gusset needles from action as a unit, and then successively restoring sole needles, including gusset needles, into action for Widening, the last means including cams selective- 1y operable upon the intermediate length butts of the gusset needles to eiect their unitary movements Without affecting raised long butt instep needles.

6. A knitting machine including a circular series of needles, said needles including a group of instep needles and a group of sole needles, the instep needles having long butts, and the sole needles including two sets of gusset needles terminating short of the ends of the series of sole needles and provided with butts of intermediate length, other sole needleshaving short butts, elements cooperating with the needles in the formation of stitches, means for presenting yarns to the needles at spaced feeds, cams associated with the feeds for actuating the needles and elements during relative rotary or reciprocatory movements, means for effecting knitting at both feeds during certain reciprocatory movements to produce a split foot by selective action of the groups of needles upon the yarns at the respective feeds, means for raising the long butt needles above the needle actuating cams into inactive position rela.- tive to both feeds during the reciprocatory knitting of a toe, and means operable during the reciprocatory knitting of a toe for successively removing sole needles, including gusset needles, from action for narrowing, restoring removed gusset needles into action as a unit for the formation of a gusset, removing gusset needles from action as a unit, and then successively restoring sole needles, including gusset needles, into action for Widening, the last means including cams selectively operable upon the intermediate length buits of the gusset needles to effect their unitary movements without affecting raised long butt instep needles, the sole needles taking yarn during the formation of the toe at the same feed as during the formation of the split foot.

STANLEY R. SHEIMJ'RE. 

